Fitting



Sept 29 1942- C. FLACHBARTH 2,297,139

FITTING Filed April 19, 1941 'll/Iliffilllllll HHHHHH ATTORNEYS PatentedSept. 29, 1942 FITTING Charles Flachbarth, Philadelphia., Pa., assignorto Hervey S. Walker, Ardmore, Pa.

Application April 19, 1941, Serial No. 389,377

(Cl. l2-16) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to outlet fittings, commonly referred to asstandpipes, for use in underfioor duct systems, and is concerned moreparticularly with a novel standpipe which may be advantageously employedin the underfloor duct system disclosed in the co-pending application ofHervey S. Walker, Serial No, 389,380, led April 19, 1941.

The ducts employed in the system of the Walker application arepreferably metal tubes of generally rectangular horizontally elongatedcross-section and have openings therealong at relatively closely spacedregular intervals. In each such opening is mounted an outlet, referredto as an insert, which extends up to the floor surface and is closed bya removable cap. The system includes junction boxes at the points wherethe runs of duct intersect and when electrical service is desired at aparticular point, the cap of the nearest insert is removed andconductors are fished through the duct and outlet from the nearestjunction box. Thereafter, the conductors are passed up through astandpipe which has a neck which can be mounted in the outlet, and theconnection is completed by connecting the conductors either to areceptacle at the top of the standpipe or to the device to be suppliedwith energy.

In underfioor duct systems of the type used prior to the development ofthe system of the Walker application, the outlets were f circularcross-section and of a diameter less than the width of the duct. Thestandpipes used had necks of circular cross-section and the necks werecommonly formed with radially movable parts which could be forced intofirm Contact with the inner wall of the outlet to hold the standpipe inplace. In such a system, difficulties were encountered in pulling aconductor through a duct and out through an outlet because of the sharpturn that the conductor had to make in passing from the duct into theoutlet. To overcome such difficulty, the outlets in the system of theWalker application are of non-circular cross-section and are elongatedlengthwise of the duct so that a conductor may be drawn therethrough bya pull applied at a low angle. With such an outlet, however, thestandpipes previously used and having circular eXpansible necks can nolonger be conveniently employed, since the neck of such a standpipe willnot fill the entire outlet and a spe-cial cap and other expedient mustbe employed to close that part of the top of the insert not filled bythe standpipe neck.

The present invention is, accordingly, directed to the provision of astandpipe suitable for use with an outlet system of the type shown inthe Walker application or any other in which the outlets from the ductare of non-circular crosssection. The new standpipe is provided with aconnection of a cross-sectional shape such as to ll the non-circularoutlet and the neck is provided with novel locking means by which it canbe firmly secured in place within the outlet.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had t0 theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional Viewthrough a duct and outlet with the new standpipe installed, the latterbeing shown partly in elevation;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views on the lines 2 2 and 3 3,respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified construction andtake on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a portion ofan underoor duct system of the construction shown in the Walkerapplication, the system shown including a duct l0 embedded within theoor Il below the surface thereof and wholly concealed by the oormaterial. The duct is a metal tube of generally rectangularcross-section which is provided with openings in its upper wall in whichare mounted inserts I2 leading to the floor surface and providingoutlets. The metal of the duct is dished up at I3 around each openingand each insert has upper and lower flanges I4a, Mb which grip thedished-up rim of the opening on its upper and lower faces, respectively.With this arrangement, the lower flange Mb may lie in the plane of theunder surface of the top wall of the duct or above that plane, and theflange thus does not obstruct free movement of conductors through theduct.

The outlet I2 is non-circular in section and it is elongated lengthwiseof the duct. Preferably it has parallel sides |2a and round ends 12b,although any other suitable form which is elongated lengthwise of theduct may be used,

The new standpipe, which is mounted in such an outlet whenever aconductor l5 is led out through the outlet to a device to be suppliedwith current, comprises a hollow body I6 of any suitable material, suchas metal. At the lower end of the body is a flange l1 of suchVdimensions as to overlie the floor material around the upper end ings.

of the outlet when the standpipe is in place. A neck I8 extends downwardfrom the under surface of the flange and the neck has a cross-sectionalshape generally similar to the interior of the outlet.

At opposite ends of the neck, portions are cut away to form cutouts I9and horizontal cuts 20 through the neck lead from the opposite edges ofeach cutout at the top thereof. With this arrangement, the end portions2| of the neck on opposite sides of the cutout may be sprung out to gripthe wall of the insert and such movement of the end portions at eachcutout is effected by a wedge 22 mounted in the cutout and movable by ascrew 23 which is passed through an opening inthe flange I1 and enters athreaded bore in the wedge.

In the construction shown, each wedge 22'has side faces convergingupwardly and the vertical walls of its cutout I9 also converge upwardly.Accordingly, when the neck of the standpipe is mounted in place in theoutlet and the screws 23 are turned to move the wedges 22 upwardly, theparts 2l are forced away from each other and into firm contact with theinner surface of the outlet at one end thereof. Whenever the standpipeis to be removed, the screws 23 are turned to force the wedgesdownwardly and the springiness of the metal used in the necks is suchthat the parts 2| approach each other and move away from the inner wallof the outlet.

. Instead of forming the neck of the standpipe with cutouts andproviding a wedge in each cutout, the construction illustrated in Figs.4 and 5 may be employed. In this form, vertical cuts 24 are made in theneck at the ends of the curved end portions 25 thereof and the parallelportions 26 of the neck are then joined by spaced transverse integralbars 2l. In the space between the outer face of each bar and the innersurface of the curved end portion 25 of each neck is mounted a wedge 28which can be movedY up and down in the space by means of a screw 29which passes through an opening in the ange of the standpipe and entersa threaded bore in the wedge. As inthe Fig. 1 construction, upwardmovement of the wedges 2B causes the out wardly movable end portions 25of the neck to grip the curved ends of the outletl and the movable partsmay be forced into suiiiciently snug contact with the ends of the outletto secure the standpipe rigidly in place.

The body I6 of the standpipe is hollow for the passagev of conductorsand a removable cap 30 is mounted on the upper end of the body by screws3l. The top edges of the opposite faces of the body of the standpipe areconcavely formed so that an electrical receptacle 32 may be mountedbetween the top of the body and the cap. The conductors are then ledthrough the standpipe to the terminals in the receptacle and service isobtained in the usual way by inserting the prongs of a plug in thereceptacle open- If desired, the receptacle may be dispensed with and,in that event, bushings 33 of insulating material maybe mounted on theupper edges of the'body and held in place by the cap. When bushings areused, the conductors are led out through the bushings'to the device towhich energy isv supplied.

In both constructions shown, the neck of the standpipe, is ofnon-circular section with parallel sidesand rounded ends and such astandpipe is especially adapted for use with an underoor system as shownin the Walker application. HOW- ever, if the system has outlets of adiiferent noncircular section, the neck of the standpipe will be formedaccordingly, and the shape given the neck will be such that it may bereadily inserted in the outlet and its end.- parts then moved outwardlyto grip the inner wall of the outlet.

I claim:

1. A fitting for use with an underoor duct system which includes a ductembedded and concealed within a oor structure and having outlets leadingfrom openings in the duct to the floor surface, said tting comprising abody, a ange near the lower end of the body and encircling the same andadapted to rest upon and overlie the fioor material around the upper endof an outlet, a neck projecting downwardly from the ange andsubstantially coaxial therewith and adapted to be received in one ofsaid outlets, said neck being of elongated cross-section and being cutvertically adjacent its ends to form outwardly movable portions, movableelements positioned within the neck adapted when moved in one directionto apply an outward force to said portions to move them outwardly togrip the inner wall of said outlet, and means for so moving saidelements.

2. A fitting for use with an underiioor duct system which includes aduct embedded and concealed within a floor structure and having outletsleading from openings in the duct to the floor surface, said fittingcomprising a body, a flange near the lower end of the body andencircling the same and adapted to rest upon and overlie the floormaterial around the upper end of an outlet, a neck projecting downwardlyfrom the flange and substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to bereceived in one of said outlets, said neck being of elongatedcross-section and being cut vertically adjacent its ends to formoutwardly movable portions, movable elements positioned within the neckadapted when moved in one direction to apply an outward force to saidportions'to move them outwardly to grip the inner Wall of said outlet,and means extending through and operable from a position above theflange to so move said elements.

3. A tting for use with an underfloor duct system which includes a ductembedded and concealed within a floor structure and having outletsleading from openings in the duct to the floor surface, said ttingcomprising a body, a flange near the lower end of the body andencircling the same and adapted to rest upon and overlie the floormaterial around the upper end of an outlet, a neck projecting downwardlyfrom the flange and substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to bereceived in one of said outlets, said neck being of elongatedcross-section and being cut vertically adjacent its ends to formoutwardly movable portions, wedges movable to force said portionsoutwardly to grip the inner wall of said outlet, and means for somovingthe wedges.

4. A fitting for use with an underoor duct system which includes a ductembedded and concealed within a floor structure and having outletsleading from openings in the duct to the floor surface, said ttingcomprising a body, a flange near the lower end of the body andencircling the same and adapted to rest upon and overlie the floormaterial around the upper end of an outlet, a neck projecting downwardlyfrom the iiange and substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to bereceived in one of said outlets, said neck being of elongatedcross-section and having cutouts adjacent its ends forming outwardlymovable portions, wedges in the cutouts movable to force said portionsoutwardly to grip the inner wall of said outlet, and means for so movingthe wedges.

5. A tting for use with an underfloor duct system which includes a ductembedded and concealed within a floor structure and having outletsleading from openings in the duct to the floor surface, said ttingcomprising a body, a flange near the lower end of the body andencircling the saine and adapted to rest upon and overlie the floormaterial around the upper end of an outlet, a neck projecting downwardlyfrom the flange and substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to bereceived in one of said outlets, said neck being of elongatedcross-section and having cutouts adjacent its ends forming outwardlymovable portions, wedges in the cutouts movable to force said portionsoutwardly to grip the inner wall of said outlet, and means extendingthrough said flange and operable from the upper face of the flange formoving said wedges.

6. A fitting for use with an underfloor duct system which includes aduct embedded and concealed within a floor structure and having outletsleading from openings in the duct to the floor surface, each outletbeing elongated lengthwise of the duct and having rounded ends, saidfitting comprising a body, a flange near the lower end of said body, andencircling the same and adapted to rest upon and overlie the floormaterial around the upper end of an outlet, a neck projecting downwardlyfrom the flange and substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to bereceived in one of the cutouts, said neck having a cross-sectiongenerally similar to that of an outlet and having cutouts adjacent itsends to form pairs of outwardly movable portions, a wedge in eachcutout, and a screw passing through the flange and into each wedge, thescrew being operable to move the wedge to force its associated portionsof the neck outwardly to grip the inner wall of said outlet.

'7. A fitting for use with an underfloor duct system which includes aduct embedded and concealed within a floor structure and having outletsleading from openings in the duct to the floor surface, said ttingcomprising a body, a flange near the lower end of the body andencircling the same and adapted to rest upon and overlie the floormaterial around the upper end of an outlet, a neck projecting downwardlyfrom the flange and substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to bereceived in one of said outlets, said neck being of elongatedcross-section and having vertical cuts adjacent its ends formingoutwardly movable portions, a transverse bar within the neck adjacenteach portion, a wedge between each of said outwardly movable portionsand its bar movable to force said portion outwardly to cause it to gripthe inner wall of said outlet, and means for so moving said wedge.

8. A tting for use with an underfloor duct system which includes a ductembedded and concealed within a floor structure and having outletsleading from openings in the duct to the oor surface, said fittingcomprising a body, a flange near the lower end of the body andencircling the same and adapted to rest upon and overlie the floormaterial around the upper end of an outlet, a neck projecting downwardlyfrom the flange and substantially coaxial therewith and adapted to bereceived in one of said outlets, said neck being of elongatedcross-section and having vertical cuts adjacent its ends formingoutwardly movable portions, a transverse bar within the neck adjacenteach portion, a wedge between each of said outwardly movable portionsand its bar movable to force said portion outwardly to cause it to gripthe inner wall of said outlet, and means extending through said ilangeand operable from the upper surface of the flange for moving the wedge.

CHARLES FLACHBARTH.

